Overcoming Evil

When asked about the importance of the Law, Jesus summed up the commandments with two basic perspectives.  Love God.  Love Others.

Some of the “others” in our lives include those individuals who intend to harm us.  Both Jesus and Paul tell us to love our enemies.  We are to rejoice with them.  We are to feel compassion for them.  We are to forgive them.

Verse 17 of Romans 12, tells us to never repay evil for evil.  Revenge is not an option.  We are to do our part to live peacefully with those around us.  Why?  We usurp God’s authority and generally make a mess of things on our own.

To the contrary we are to feed our enemies if they are hungry.  We are to give him a drink if he is thirsty.  How easy is all of this for you?

In order to live this kind of real life love, a supernatural work must begin inside of me and end on the outside of my life and this continually refers me back to the beginning of this chapter as Paul commands us to surrender our lives everyday.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Supernaturally.

Standing to Make a Difference

Does choosing to stand really make a difference?  Let’s consider two different questions today.
This morning I received an email with the subject line – ABC’s Offensive Television Pilot. The plot centers on the life of reformed “mean girl” Amanda who returns to her hometown of Dallas to find herself fodder for malicious gossip from the women in the Christian community.

“Still in the early stages, the pilot has not been guaranteed a spot on ABC’s lineup. And though the show’s title may change before it goes to broadcast, “Good Christian Bitches” is already causing uproar…the show, which features the tagline “For Heaven’s sake, don’t let God get in the way of a good story!” could put Christians in an unfairly bad light.”

Sorry to include the title of the show, but I think it is necessary for the story. Now let’s consider the two questions.

First, should we as believers take a stand against a show that will put Christians in such a negative light? Yes.  I don’t have any interest in watching the show, but there is something even more important we can do and that revolves around the second question.

Why would someone consider writing and producing such a show in the first place?  Could it be that there is an element of truth to it?  How many of us have been guilty of some form of gossip when we “share” a prayer request?

Paul warns us of “gossips and busybodies” in 1 Timothy 5: 13.  If we are spending our time tearing down others at home or at work or in the church we have lost all credibility, haven’t we?  Can our lives stand up to the scrutiny of others or have we hidden the light of Christ by our conversations?

Can’t Keep It To Myself

What activity to you find most enjoyable or rewarding in your life?  For Paul, it was the opportunity to share his faith.  In this passage he writes that he is eager to preach the Gospel!  When was the last time you were eager to do something?  Even when he wanted to do anything but preach, the prophet Jeremiah said,“If I say, I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name, there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.” Jeremiah 20:9 I imagine Paul felt this “fire shut up in his bones” and if he did not share the gospel, he would burst. But it is not always so easy for many of us. Have you ever been embarrassed or ashamed of the gospel?  For me, there was a particular day during college in an anthropology class when I failed to stand for what I believed by simply saying nothing. In that hour, I was ashamed of the Gospel. I didn’t want to make a scene or put myself in a place of ridicule by the professor and my peers. I wanted to avoid any kind of pain. It was a time I regret to this day. Immediately after I failed, I was ashamed of myself and I was reminded of the words that Jesus said in Mark 8: 38. “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Contrast this with Paul’s statement in verse 16 - “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”   I believe the difference is Paul’s lack of a fear of man.  He was completely convinced of his faith and the saving grace made available to all.  And his conviction and appreciation for God’s plan made him able to stand firm through the Holy Spirit as he encountered world views very different from his own as he met Jews and Greeks and Barbarians and wise and foolish people. We live in a similar world today where “spiritual” people will consider nearly any point of view that is considered to be inclusive and universal. The doctrine of salvation through Jesus Christ is considered to be narrow-minded and anything but inclusive, yet it remains God’s plan to redeem those who will believe. While I regret the day in 1980, I have been determined to avoid that feeling since by moving forward and speaking up concerning the Gospel.  No matter where we are in this journey, let us commit today to ask God to strengthen us through His Holy Spirit to stand unashamed before the people in our lives proclaiming his Truth with our daily actions and our words.

Crimes against Humanity

What is the source of human conflict?

How could a man enter a police station in Detroit and open fire?  Why does someone plant a luggage bomb in Russia?  Why does a man choose to leave his wife for a relationship with a woman he met on the internet?  What was a man thinking when his temper forced his family to be locked out of their house in the freezing cold?

No Sin?

Today’s leading experts on the human condition would never think of using the word “sin” or “sinful” to describe the state of mankind.  Instead, most would point to an experience in childhood, a medical condition, a failed relationship with a parent, or some other tragedy.

Today sin is almost a four-letter word – even in many churches.  How is it that someone can expect to be “saved” if there is nothing to be saved from?  “I don’t need salvation, I need a therapy session to exorcise my demons”.

We can have knowledge of God’s word and even say we agree with it, but unless we face the truth of our own personal sin and a life in darkness, then it “is impossible to walk in the light as He is in the light.” (1 John 1:7)

Verse eight continues, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”.

But there is Good News.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Only when we face our sinful condition and repent are we able to be in relationship with God and have real fellowship with each other.

Soaked

Can you remember a time when you were caught in a rainstorm and the downpour soaked you so completely that the water saturated your clothing from head to toe?

According to my dictionary soaked means to be completely saturated or drenched with water or another liquid.  Another definition refers to allowing something to soak (in) – to penetrate or become know to the mind or feelings.

When was the last time you allowed yourself to be soaked by a scripture?

I remember my Dad discussing Psalm 103:12 during a Wednesday night Bible study more than thirty years ago.  He had been reading this verse over and over for days and giving the words of Scripture time to get in deep into his mind and spirit.  While I didn’t get it when I was a teenager, I have a better understanding now.

I’ve included a few extra verses from Psalm 103.

10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.

How does God approach our sins, iniquities, and transgressions?

For those who fear Him there is no retaliation. Instead He shows compassion and removes our sins as far as the east is from the west.

How far is the east from the west?

Answers.com says, ” It’s a question that all have failed to answer. No one knows how far; it’s like asking how far dark is from light.”

Allow your mind to consider how far away God removes our sin.

To use a term from the 70′s – It blew my Dad’s mind.

Free to Us

Earlier this week I received a call from a co-worker who was less than pleased that a few of us had decided to by a relatively small gift for our district manager.  He said, “Why give a gift to someone for just doing their job?”

Now he’s not as much of a Scrooge as he seems.  How many of us are taught at home or at work and in society that what we receive is relative to our performance? But his comment did made me think…

What if God approached us with His greatest Gift based on our performance?

Romans 5:8 tells us that God showed His love for us while we were still stuck in our sinful place by having Christ die for us.  Our best performance doesn’t come close to God’s standard but still Isaiah reminded us that the “son is given”.

The Free Gift

Read these words from Romans 5: 15-17.  Notice a phrase?

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 If, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

What is Paul’s point?  Three verses and five times the same phrase is repeated.

Do we deserve this free gift on our own merit?  Not even close. So as you give and open presents over the next day or so, remember the free gift available to all of us!

Merry Christmas!

For Us

Isaiah 9:6 begins with these words-

For to us a child is born, To us a son is given;

In the Bible Fellowship I lead on Sunday morning we considered the how Jesus was born fully human and still remained fully God.  But why?

The child was born for us.  The Son was given for us – promising life as the gift of God.

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

1 John 5:11-12

And on a Christmas day nearly five hundred years ago, Martin Luther preached these words-

For whom was he conceived and born? For whom did he suffer and die? For us, for us, for us! Always add us! That is why the church fathers rightly put the word: “And in Jesus Christ, our Lord.” into the creed. We should relate this word to every sentence: He was conceived for us and born for us, suffered for us and raised for us, ascended for us and sitting at the right [hand of God] for us.

Consider that simple phrase today.  For us.

In the Game

After the weekends in Cincinnati many people who either sit at home or in the stands, have plenty to say about what happened to the Bengals again this week.

If you listen to the radio or watch even a little cable news you’ll hear a lot of voices discussing the issues of the day with many complaints, but you’ll hear very few solutions.

Most of us are the much the same, aren’t we? It’s so much easier to sit on the sidelines and point out faults than it is to get in the game and make a difference.

Not so with God.

When God looked at the mess we created by rejecting Him and going our own way, He made a plan to redeem us.

God got in the game by giving us His Son.

People have been holding up signs at sporting events for years reminding people of John 3:16. It is a familiar passage and so it is easy to quote and then move on to the next thing without giving it much thought, but take a few seconds to read and then a few minutes to really think about these inspired words….

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Take some time today to think about this verse phrase by phrase.  Say it out loud.  Meditate on what it meant for God to love and to give to reconcile us to Him.

Who did He love?  Who did He give?  How should we respond?

Tragedy to Horror

I heard about this heartbreaking story earlier this week.  This is the Cincinnati Enquirer’s report:

“A woman died of injuries suffered in the crash of a car driven by her 16-year-old daughter two years ago, but the tragedy turned into a horror story after the girl’s father told the teen she would have to atone for it by taking her mother’s place in his bed, a Clermont County judge was told Tuesday.

The daughter had just received a temporary driver’s license when she wrecked the car while headed to the beach of Harsha Lake at East Fork State Park. Both her parents and her two young sisters were in the car.

Her mother, 39, who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, was killed after being thrown from the car when the daughter turned in front of an oncoming pickup truck at a park entrance.

The girl wasn’t sexually abused until soon after her mother’s death, Assistant Prosecutor Daniel “Woody” Breyer said.

Instead of a father whom she could trust and love, she had “someone who would prey upon her, and victimize her and turn her life into a living hell,” Breyer told the judge.

The emotional abuse the teen suffered included being taken to the dead woman’s grave and being ordered by her father to tell her sisters that she had killed their mother, Breyer said.

The man “gave the children up this morning,” defense attorney George Pattison said, showing the prosecutor an order signed by Juvenile Court Judge Stephanie Wyler. They are in the care of the dead woman’s family.

“My only desire is to be a part of the children’s life,” the father told the judge. “I am truly sorry for what I have done.”

The man was indicted by a grand jury in May after his oldest daughter mentioned to someone that she had been abused since 2008, Breyer said.

The teenager held up a hand to wave goodbye as her father was led away in handcuffs by a deputy sheriff.”

Earlier this week I was asked about why God would allow such things.  Most people are looking for a sound-bite.  There aren’t any.

 

Street Signs and Mercy

Think about the signs you see along the streets – Do Not Enter, One-Way, No U-turn, Speed Limit.  These signs are posted to make us aware of the proper way to drive our car. What is their purpose?  The signs simply work to make us aware of our condition, so that when we speed we are without excuse.

Why is Grand Avenue in Ft Thomas only 25 mph?  Why am I stopped for driving the wrong way down a one way street during a snowstorm (another true story)?

I failed to take notice of the signs and my guilt was exposed. Fortunately in both cases, I received a mercy warning instead of a ticket.

If everything Paul is teaching is based on the mercy of God expressed through the sacrifice of Christ, then could the law itself be Sin?  Paul is anticipating another question and addressing the fact that law’s purpose is to establish and reveal what Sin is in our lives.

One commentator wrote that the Law “is powerless to justify and sanctify not because it is sinful and deadly, but because I am sinful and my sin is deadly. Therefore this objection to his teaching on justification by faith and sanctification by faith falls to the ground. And the glorious truth of the gospel stands.”

Paul uses the thought of coveting as an example of how the law makes us aware of the state of our hearts before God.  When was the last time you were envious of what someone else had?  A career? Family?  Home?  Some special gift?

Like a road sign warning us, the law serves to confront us with the sin we face. So Paul says that the “law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”